April 20 - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening 48 points higher
at 5,835 on Monday, according to financial bookmakers.
* British Retail Consortium: The number of British people leaving their
homes to go shopping has slumped by 83% since the government closed
non-essential retail outlets last month to slow the spread of COVID-19, the
British Retail Consortium trade body said on Monday. * OIL: Crude oil futures fell on Monday, with U.S. futures touching levels
not seen since 1999, extending weakness on the back of sliding demand and
concerns that U.S. storage facilities will soon fill to the brim amid the
coronavirus pandemic. * GOLD: Gold prices fell to a more than one-week low on Monday, dragged by a
firmer dollar amid doubts over the United States' plans to reopen the world's
largest economy as the novel coronavirus pandemic showed no signs of easing.
* The UK blue-chip index .FTSE closed up 2.8% on Friday as investors
cheered plans for a gradual restarting of the U.S. economy and encouraging data
emerged on a possible treatment for COVID-19. * UK CORPORATE DIARY:
Polymetal International Plc POLYP.L Q1 2020 production results
Sigmaroc Plc SRC.L FY 2019 earnings release
Pennant International Group PNIG.L FY 2019 earnings release
* For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on:
LIVE/
TODAY'S UK PAPERS
> Financial Times PRESS/FT
> Other business headlines PRESS/GB